I've been teaching a couple of talented boys how to paint and draw for quite a few years now, since they first went to junior school. They are now reaching the stage where everything they have learnt is starting to pay off, and it is wonderful to see them begin to master certain mediums and develop their own styles. Yesterday I had a lesson with one of them and he has discovered lately that watercolours are the medium for him. We've been working on washes, wet into wet, and other fairly basic techniques that give good almost immediate results - a real boost to his self-confidence to have something worth looking at after an hour's work! He suggested we get some fruit this time - he's sketched fruit in pencil on numerous occasions, also used watercolour pencils to good effect. Unfortunately, I did not think to photograph his painting before he left, but here is mine that I painted alongside him in order to show him what techniques and colours to use. It was very good to have the exercise mentally, to have to observe carefully and work fast and loose! I forget how much I enjoy little spontaneous watercolours - should do more.
However, I am currently working on a double cat portrait in Derwent Drawing Pencils, something which is definitely not loose - tight and detailed. Considering I have pretty bad photos to work from, for this cat at least, it has made a very good start and I am happy with the way it is going...for now.
On the needles: still plugging away at the baby blanket; trying out a knitted dog on those tiny needles - it's going to be ridiculously small!
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